The operation of agricultural vehicles is becoming increasingly automated. For example, harvesters, planters, tillers and the like are often now configured to operate autonomously or semi-autonomously for various applications. Autonomous vehicles may be configured to follow a lead vehicle which may be driven by a human operator. In some applications, the autonomous vehicle may perform the same operation as the lead vehicle. For example, a lead harvester may be followed by an autonomous harvester, thereby doubling the effective width covered in a single pass of the harvesting operation. In other applications, the autonomous agricultural vehicle may perform a different operation than the operator-driven agricultural vehicle. For example, an operator-driven harvester may be followed by an autonomous agricultural vehicle towing a mobile storage compartment. The autonomous vehicle may align the mobile storage compartment with a conveyor outlet of the operator-driven harvester such that the operator-driven harvester may unload while moving.
Transporting such autonomous vehicles from one work site to another work site may require traveling on public roads. Operating autonomous agricultural vehicles on public roads, however, is heavily regulated in some areas and completely prohibited in others. Obtaining the requisite permits to operate an autonomous agricultural vehicle on public roads may be difficult, expensive, or even impossible.
Accordingly, a method and related system for transporting an autonomous agricultural vehicle from a first agricultural work site to a second agricultural work site would be welcomed in the technology.